Howard the Duck (Earth-791021)
Howard the Human, Howard the Rat, Iron Duck, Pondhopper, Shang-Op, Cheap Ducktective, Duckboy, Dark Mallard of the Night, Duck Man of Cleveland, Howard Theduck, Duckman of New Jersey, Artifact G5-18-2E18, Deadpool the Duck | Identity = No Dual | Affiliation = , , , formerly , , , , To Hack and Back Cab Company, All-Night Party, ally to Dakimh the Enchanter, Jennifer Kale, Man-Thing, Korrek the Barbarian, She-Hulk, Spider-Man, | Relatives = Ronald (father); Henrietta (mother); Theresa (sister); Orville (brother); Alexis the Duck (clonal daughter); Linda the Duck (clone) | Universe = Earth-791021 | BaseOfOperations = Sharon King's building, Brooklyn, New York City, USA, Earth-616; formerly Cleveland, Ohio, USA, Earth-616; Duckhattan, New Stork City, Wackington D.C., Duckworld, Earth-791021 | Gender = Male | Height = 2'7" | Weight = 40 lbs | Eyes = Red | Hair = No Hair | UnusualSkinColour = Yellow | UnusualFeatures = Howard's body, like those of his entire race, has similar characteristics to those of both common Earth ducks and common Earth human beings. He has hands and arms instead of wings, is covered with feathers and is unable to fly | CharRef = | Citizenship = Duckworldian | MaritalStatus = Single | Occupation = Private Investigator, formerly; Adventurer, cab driver, reluctant warrior; former nursing home attendant, poster child for Ducktitis, baby sitter, video store clerk, burlesque show director, computer salesman, actor, dish washer, amateur wrestler, repossession man, presidential candidate, construction worker, poet, and folk singer. | Education = Four-year college degree and limited training in various martial and mystic arts | Origin = Duckworldian | PlaceOfBirth = New Stork, New Stork, Duckworld | Creators = Steve Gerber; Val Mayerik | First = Fear #19 | First2 = | Quotation = Aw, clam up, bud! You don't even know the meaning of the word! Finding yourself in a world of talking hairless apes--Now that's absurdity! | QuoteSource = Fear Vol 1 19 | Speaker = Howard the Duck | HistoryText = Early life Howard the Duck was hatched on Duckworld, a planet in another universe, where intelligent life evolved from waterfowl. Duckworld resembles mankind's Earth in an astounding number of ways, including the fact that ducks speak English. He was the son of a Ronald and Henrietta, a working class catholic couple living in New Stork. He had two siblings Theresa and Orville. As a child, he discovered an amazing potential intellect, however he was continuously bullied by other children as a result. He eventually decided to give away his studies, wasting his potential. Further details about Howard's past on Duckworld are still unknown. Indeed, there are conflicting accounts as to the circumstances surrounding his disappearance. Arrival on Earth Howard vanished from his home world when the power hungry demon Thog the Nether-Spawn used his magic to cause the interdimensional cosmic axis to shift. Howard was dislodged from his home dimension and dropped into the middle of the Florida Everglades on Earth-616 at the site of this world's Nexus of All Realities, a place from which travel to all other dimensions is said to be possible. In an effort to set the cosmic axis right and return home, the reluctant Howard joined with Korrek the barbarian, who also came from another dimension, the young Earth-born sorceress Jennifer Kale, Dakimh the Enchanter, and the Man-Thing. The battle against Thog ended for Howard when he fell off the other-dimensional Stepping Stones of Oblivion. Cleveland He landed back on our Earth in the city of Cleveland, Ohio, where he first faced the menace of Garko, the Man-Frog. Bessie, the Hellcow Howard the Duck wanted to establish a reputation in Cleveland. As such, he sought to earn a position on the Cleveland police force by catching this mysterious farm stalker. During the investigation, he finds Bessie, the Hellcow, who attacked him, but Howard kept her at bay with a push broom. During the fight, he used the mallet and wooden stake to seemingly end the blood-sucking bovine's hellish existence once and for all. Despite his heroism, however, Howard was still denied a position on the Cleveland police force, much to his dismay. Meeting Beverly Switzler In Cleveland, Howard first met the young life model Beverly Switzler who was a captive of the costumed criminal accountant Pro-Rata. Howard and Beverly escaped and began living together. Although Howard attempted to live as normal a life as possible, considering that he is a talking duck on a world of human beings, he continually ran afoul of various unusual menaces including Turnip Man, Count Macho, Winki Man, Emile "The Goat" Klout and the Gingerbread Man. Howard came to public notoriety when he became a candidate for the United States presidency on a very minor party ticket. He was even the target of an assassination plot as someone hired Doctor Angst and his Band of the Bland to kill him. Howard defeated his would-be assassins with the help of the Defenders and they were sent to prison. As it turned out, the assassination was unnecessary as the general populace refused to believe that Howard was a real talking duck, thinking of him instead as a dwarf in a duck suit. As a result, the public dismissed his candidacy as a joke. He continued to battled villains such as The Bellhop, Le Beaver, Kong Lomerate, Kidney Lady, Rev. Joon Moon Yuc and Roxxon. Doctor Bong His most notable arch nemesis was Doctor Bong. Through cleverness, persistence, and good luck, Howard always managed to defeat or escape his adversaries. S.O.O.F.I. Howard went up against a hate group called S.O.O.F.I. who were "trying to restore order to the world". Bzzk'Joh While relaxing in his apartment Howard is attacked by a salt shaker with arms and legs on a giant house fly, both he was able to defeat him. Dakimh and Man-Thing arrived to ask Howard for his help and was reluctantly transported to to Land Between Night and Day, where they are reunited with Korek and Jennifer Kale. Dakimh brought them there to battle Bzzk'Joh. Bzzk'Jho attacked them and Jennifer was forced to use her power to bring Naac-P30, and Tutu, two Druid Droids that help Howard, Korrek and Man-Thing stop Jho. When Howard still refuses to help, Korrek threatens Howard. Howard conceded when he tried to use the gun that was given to him by Dakimh and it turns out that all it does is shoot a comedic flag.B boarding Dakimh's ship the Epoch Weasel into the universe to get to Jho's base the Imperium Emporium, the group escapes one of their delivery truck weapons. However, their ship is damaged forcing them to land at the Hollywok Cantina. There they try to find transport dealing with Real Californians. Being told to speak to Big Mac about getting transport. Korrek tried to do so politely, however, he violently attacks Mac when he refuses to help transport them causing the Real Californians to attack them. Howard manages to dispel them using the Farce through his gun incapacitating them all.Securing a new ship, the group manages to burst into Bzzk'Joh's Imperium Emporium, a giant space ship themed after a box store. There they fight through Jho's army, and free Jennifer and escape just as the Emporium is set to explode, destroying Jho and all his followers in a massive explosion. They return Howard to Earth-616 New York But experience nothing but trouble when he tried to help a few New Yorkers Circus of Crime After finally meeting up with the cruise ship that rescued Paul and Winda, now befriended by socialite Iris Raritan, he then attends her party on Long Island, where he is abducted by the Ringmaster and his Circus of Crime. Paul is shot and left in a coma, and Winda, abandoned by Paul and Iris, is apparently raped by a hobo. After defeating the Circus of Crime, Howard, plagued by pessimistic dreams, goes his way alone, as he had at the beginning of the series. Howard returned to Cleveland. Showdown with Doctor Bong He battled Doctor Bong and teamed up with Claude Starkowski, a former Vietnam vet who believed that he was the genius behind the creation of Iron Man's Armor. Claude created for Howard a suit of Iron Man inspired armor, with springs and built in flame thrower, plus a device which hopefully would neutralize Bong's powers. Lee and Howard returned to the hospital where Bong appeared to challenge Howard just as they finished setting up. He used his bell to freeze everyone, however it did not effect Howard who was protected not only by his armor but by cotton balls stuffed in his ears. The two engaged in a battle across the hospital, where Howard, in spite of being greatly outmatched, was able to lure Dr. Bong to the device which negated his powers. However the device malfunctioned and Bong managed to grab Howard. With only one compartment untried, Howard opened up the armor's hip unit to find a small hammer. Remembering what happened to Bong last time, he hit the bell on his head, Howard took the hammer and hit Bong on the head with it. The resulting peel from the bell transports both Bong and Howard away and freed everyone from Bong's paralysis. Howard and Bong rematerialized in Bong's castle, where Bong used his bell to strip Howard of his armor and removed his cotton balls. However, before Bong could finish Howard, Beverly stopped him showing him cloned babies she made and threatened to send a letter to the media outing him as a negligent parent. Conceding and taking the cloned children, Dr. Bong angrily teleported Howard and Beverly back to the hospital. There they were reunited with Lee, and Winda who had come out of her coma. Return to Cleveland Now living in Cleveland again Howard battles new weird adversaries. Drakula When Howard was on his way home from the Laundromathe was attacked out of the blue by Dracula. Realising Howard was not human he fled. Howard now started to display vampire like tendencies. He changed into traditional vampire garb and tried to attack Winda. Mistaking his bloodthirst for lust, Bev kicked Howard out of the house. The sometime vampire hunter Harold H. Harold came looking for Howard and explained that his affliction was purely a disillusion. After a few failed attacks due to not having any teeth, they found him and tried to snap him out of the disillusion. Dracula arrived and tried to turn Bev, but Howard staked him with a piece of a picket fence. Seeking immortality, Harold foolishly removed the stake, and Dracula turned him. Three days later Howard read of reports of Harold clawing his way out of his grave. Return to Duckworld Howard and Beverly arrived on Duckworld on Earth-791021. On this world, Beverly is considered the freak. Howard was eventually realized to have been the "Drake" who had vanished a few years back. Initially fleeing from overzealous worshippers, Howard led Beverly back to his former home, the base of the WACkies, and they learned what Rev. Godfrey Gander had done. Howard spoke up to the crowd, denouncing Rev. Godfrey and revealing the message he had intended for them. Though initially reluctant, the Duckworldians agreed to start thinking for themselves, while Gander vowed vengeance for losing his franchise. Howard worked to win his people over to Beverly, appearing with her on the Tonight Show with Johnny Quackson. In a "This is Your Life moment" Howard was reunited with his parents and his sister Theresa now a nun and brother Orville now a mortician. However, the next guest, Dr. Ludwig von Cluck a chicken, actually a paid agent of Gander attempted to use his Surrogate Sniffer super-vacuum machine to expose Beverly as a robot. It was exposed by tearing off all of her clothes. The appearance of a naked human appalled the Duckworldians, Howard and Beverly fled alongside fellow guest Truman Capoultry. A former ally of Gander, Capoultry wished to follow Howard's word and helped them escape. To help them return to Earth, Capoultry brought them to Ducktor Strange, Mallard of the Mystic Arts, who was a drunk living in an alley. Before Strange could do anything, Rev. Gander, Scrounge McDrake, and their allies showed up and attempted to gun down Howard, Bev, Capoultry, and Strange. Bev kicked a trash can into their attackers, after which they overpowered them one by one. Strange cast a spell sending them back to Earth-616, and while Gander saw this as a chance to revive the WACkies, Capoultry vowed to write a new book, telling the true story of Howard, which would foil Gander's plans. Back on Earth-616 Arriving back in Earth-616, at the Nexus of All Realities, in Florida there they teamed up with Man-Thing again to battle Kong Lomerate. Howard and Bev get jobs at an old folks home in Miami where they run afoul of the grand designs of the Grey Panther. The pair wind up in New Orleans where Bev is kidnapped by Black Talon as an intended sacrifice by a voodoo cult. Spider-Man Howard worked as a taxicab driver, had driven a customer to New York all the way from Cleveland. This man, called himself Status Quo was a mild-mannered librarian when the constant advent of new fads drove him into a madness. Wanting to destroy all fads, Status Quo began studying how the media and advertisers help encourage fads, and now has come to New York in order to speak to people and convert them to his anti-fad group.This eventually leads to a giant demonstration in Central Park where surprisingly, Status Quo manages to gather a large crowd and earn himself a legion of followers. These followers are armed with gimmicked fads (rocket powered skateboards, exploding frisbees etc.) and sent out to attack anyone who supports any kind of fad.The chaos brings the attention of Spider-Man who tries to quell the mob, and prevents them from spreading beyond Central Park, while Howard is chased after by some anti-fad goons who think he's trying to perpetuate a fad himself. Spider-Man eventually teams up with Howard and the two manage to expose Status Quo a hypocritical terrorist in front of live news cameras, discrediting him and causing his followers to break up. Afterwards, Howard and Spidey split up, and Howard returns to his cab where he finds a police officer waiting for him to write him up on a number of traffic violations. Andy the Angel Howard was in San Francisco on Christmas Eve where he was on the Golden Gate Bridge depressed and contemplating suicide. He was stopped by an Angel called Andy. Andy decided to try and boost Howard confidence and morale; he showed to Howard how the lives of its friends would have unfolded if Howard had never come to Earth-616. He shows Howard Earth-83234. They visited his friends Paul Same, Arthur Winslow and Beverly Switzler. To Howard's and Andy horror all his friends’ lives would be better without him. Believing that he had failed, and his life was worse than Howard's without his wing Andy considered suicide himself, but Howard tries to stop him. Howard realizing that after their adventure and decided to go for a drink rather than kill themselves. This act ironically won Andy his wings because after all it was a successful mission. Leaving Beverly Howard walked away from Beverly at her request. After that, he is mistaken for "Duck Drake, Private Eye", meets Ceci Ryder when hitch-hiking and battled the Gopher. Alexis the Duck He later won ten million dollars from the American Garden and Family grand prize. However, the fun and the fame changed him, losing contact with Bev. Dr. Dwight Clive convinced him to use the rest of his money to create a mate for himself. Using cell samples he created Alexis the Duck, but unwittingly used a brain taken from the body of the spoiled wife of a personal injury attorney. Alexis turned out to be a bitter gold digger who left Howard. Broke he returned home to Cleveland. Ducktor Doom The Whoatcher has heartburn and created a cosmic burp that accidentally zaps Spider-Ham of Earth-8311 and Howard into an alternate dimension. They emerged on an Earth-905237 in the castle of Duktor Doom. Working together the battled Doom, but the Whoatcher took some antacids, neutralizing the effects of the cosmic burp. Howard and Spider-Ham were sent home before the burp, disrupted Doom's weapon, which was the perfect synthesis between science and magic and with which he had intended to conquer the world. Howard felt that he got off easy, but Duktor Doom materialized in the alley behind him. She-Hulk She-Hulk accidentally pulls him through a cosmic wormhole, and along with physicist Brent Wilcox, they prevent other universes from crowding out Earth-616. Howard met the Critic, and traveled to the Baloneyverse, and battled Dr. Angst and his cohorts. Generation X In California, Chamber and Skin of Generation X hitchhike down a highway. After several cars fly past them, one of the vehicles stops to offer the two mutants a ride. The driver of the vehicle is none other than Howard the Duck. Howard and the mutants stopped at a bar to get some drinks, and the bartender informs them that their establishment does not serve ducks. Violence ensues, and Howard is forced to rely upon his martial arts training in Quack-Fu to avoid injury. Chamber unleashed his mutant powers and begins questioning the bar patrons about someone named Tores. To everyone's surprise, Miguela Tores was actually a sultry young woman with a green stripe tattooed across her right eye. She enters the bar and begins asking questions. While Chamber and Howard deal with Tores, Skin sneaks away from the bar. He disguises himself as an old man and goes to the cemetery to visit his own grave. There, he meets his mother and manages to console without letting on that he is, in fact, her son. Outside in the Bio-Sphere, Howard and his girlfriend Beverly arrive. Franklin, Artie and Leech are thrilled at the notion of having a talking duck to pal around with. Howard has no real interest in hanging out with children, but the kids drag him to their tree-house. Inside they find Tana Nile. Tana is a Rigellian who crash-landed on Earth a short while ago. Leech has been sneaking her food from the school, and thus far nobody but the children are even aware of her presence. Howard tried to find a way to get the children to safety. Black Tom raided the tree house and prepares to kill them. Howard drove Black Tom back by setting him on fire with the lit end of his cigar. As the tree house erupts into flames, Howard, Artie, Franklin, Leech and Tana Nile discover that the Man-Thing is present on the estate. Recognizing that the Man-Thing is the gateway into the dimensional rift known as the Nexus of All Realities, Howard convinces the others to dive into the creature's slimy body in the hopes of escaping. Their plan appears to work and they disappear inside the Man-Thing’s mass. Daydreamers Howard and the Daydreamers went sailing through the inter-dimensional byways of the Nexus floating on a broken chunk of Earth. No one can really understand what is happening to them and Howard begins to have a panic attack. Tana keeps his attitude in check and reminds him that their first responsibility is to look after the children. Artie falls asleep and projects a vision of his nightmare – a vision involving a dark, menacing shadowy figure.Before long, these Daydreamers arrive in a surreal fantasy world known as Nevernever-Narnozbia. Their earthen sled lands atop a woman (who looks suspiciously a lot like the Scarlet Witch) known as the Red Witch of the Southeast, squashing her flat. A bunch of rocky little Things run out to greet the visitors expressing their happiness that the witch is finally dead. Suddenly a man in drag named Strange arrives and thanks them for saving Nevernever-Narnozbia from the threat of the witch. Franklin expresses his desire to return home and Strange uses the Eyeliner of Agamatto to direct them towards the King of the realm.Meanwhile, Howard the Duck gets separated from the group and comes upon a magic lamp. Rubbing the lamp, he summons a green goblin-like genie who grants him three wishes. Howard wishes for a way out of this mess, and the genie provides him with a Desoto. Driving along in the antique car, he eventually meets back up with his friends – only to become prisoners of the King.The King bears a strong resemblance to Doctor Doom – an old foe of the Fantastic Four. The Daydreamers try to escape and a fight breaks out in the King's throne-room. The dark spectral figure from Artie's vision arrives and declares that he has come for Franklin Richards. The Dark Hunter attacks the Daydreamers proclaiming that he has come for Franklin Richards. The Daydreamers cannot decide which is stranger: The evil villain standing before them, Doctor Strange in drag, or the fact that the Man-Thing can suddenly carry a conversation. Leech tries to siphon away the Dark Hunter's powers, but to no effect. Franklin asks Strange if he can send them home. Strange cannot send them back to Earth, but instead uses his magic wand to send them to another realm altogether. The group arrives in a bizarre cartoon-liked reality, which appears as if it were crafted from the mind of Doctor Seuss. Weird creatures are seen walking down the streets with distended lips and large tufts of hair on their heads. Like the characters from Doctor Seuss, everyone has a penchant for speaking in rhyme. The Daydreamers stop at a local diner to collect their thoughts. The staff at the diner becomes irate with who refuses to speak in rhyme. Franklin placates the offended food servers, but ordering their meals in rhyme for them. It does little good however as the Cadence Police arrive to arrest the Daydreamers. Howard wants to start a fight with them, but [[Tana Nile (Earth-616)|Tana] convinces him that allowing them to be taken to jail might actually serve their better interests. Suddenly, Artie begins to distrust Franklin. He continues to have visions of the Dark Hunter and feels that Franklin is connected to the Hunter in an unhealthy fashion. Franklin lashes out at him, declaring that he should mind his own business.Later that night, the Dark Hunter comes for them. Tana Nile rips the bars off of their prison cell and they break free. She tries to keep the Dark Hunter at bay, but is unable to penetrate his shadowy form. Howard tries to get the Man-Thing to transport them back home, but the Man-Thing explains to him that he cannot control the power of the Nexus. Regardless, the Daydreamers dive into his slimy muck and access the Nexus of All Realities.When they exit, they find themselves on Duckworld – the planet of Howard's birth. They look around in shock and awe as they see a large bronze statue of Howard the Duck in the town square. To all accounts, Howard appears to be a hero of the people. Crowds of people begin swelling around the new arrivals, eager to welcome their hero home. In an effort to keep the excited mob at bay, Tana Nile picks up the Man-Thing] and begins swinging him about like a baseball bat. The Daydreamers duck down an alleyway and stealthily make their way towards Howard's home. Howard does not know why he is being hailed as a great hero, and he frankly doesn't care. The Man-Thing begins to lose his cohesion, and Tana has to help him along. They arrive at the house of Howard's parents, June and Ward. It is an idyllic two-story home with a perfectly manicured lawn and a white picket fence. June and Ward come out to greet the newcomers and they welcome Howard with open arms. Following a quick repast, Howard decides that he has had enough. He knows that this is not his true family and that his home life was never this perfect. As he shakes his head in denial, the imagery washes away and all is revealed to be an illusion.Meanwhile, the Man-Thing continues to fall apart. Tapping into the cosmic energies of the Nexus of All Realities has proven too taxing for his physical form and he can no longer maintain his cohesion. Before long, the Dark Hunter arrives on Duckworld and continues his pursuit of Franklin Richards. The Daydreamers leave Howard's faux household and proceed to a place known as the Richards Institute. Inside are two-dimensional cartoon versions of Franklin's parents, Reed and Susan Richards. The Dark Hunter tracks them down and they soon realize what the Hunter actually is – he is the living embodiment of Franklin Richard's repressed emotions. When the Daydreamers first interacted with the Nexus of All Realities, it reacted with Franklin's dormant mutant powers, creating a conduit into a pocket dimension inside Franklin's subconscious mind. Franklin never came to terms with the fact that his parents are gone – victims of the villain known as Onslaught. In his grief, he fabricated an imaginary, illusory world where he could effectively hide from his pain. Now having confronted his own fears in the form of the Dark Hunter, Franklin is finally ready to let go of his parents. As Franklin's pocket reality ceases to exist, the Daydreamers exit the Nexus of All Realities. They are back on Earth in the Florida Everglades, and the Man-Thing is back to his normal, inarticulate self. Back Home While Man-Thing became a self-appointed guardian to Franklin , Howard went off on his own and was captured by the Cult of Entropy. Although we last saw him in the swamp, he stated that he was thrown into baggage and transported on a plane. The cult wants him because he has part of the Nexus of All Realities, which shattered during Heroes Reborn, inside him, which he knows because it is making him nauseous. Man-Thing enters his gullet, and Howard vomits him back out with the fragment, but the former is left desiccated and practically dead. He then encountered Namor, who thought he had slain the creature, but Howard explains that he would not be lugging his friend's body if that were the case. Howard sets Man-Thing down in the water, and he revives during the conversation with Namor. Once he sees that Man-Thing is alive and well, he bid Namor farewell and told him he was returning to Cleveland. Ben Reilly He worked with Spider-Man (Ben Reilly) in a fight against the Circus of Crime, Howard and Beverly get stuck in a warehouse full of anthropomorphic ducks, briefly meeting the Savage Dragon and Destroyer Duck. The group left in the belief that they have brought the correct Howard with them. Ghost Rider Jennifer Kale attempted return Howard home many times but he accused her and Doctor Strange of being responsible for bringing him to Earth-616. She accidentally teleported Devil Dinosaur and Moon Boy into her New York apartment. The disoriented dinosaur attempted to eat Howard, but spat him out when shot with Ghost Rider's Hellfire Gun, they then went on a rampage through the city before being subdued by Ghost Rider. Howard related to the pair being trapped in a world he never made, and wandered off. Santa Claus Howard got a job as a department store Santa Claus, which got him dragged to the North Pole, where the real Santa Claus had sold out to Hydra. Howard the Mouse Beverly obtained a job at a company owned by Doctor Bong who turned Howard into a Giant Mouse, but the process was unstable and he cycled through different forms before settling on the mouse again. Bong Joined with Kenneth Flogg to gain the Amulet of Pazuzu, but Howard obtained it first, gained its power and used it to slay Flogg's assistant Ian Whippingham. They next stayed at the Boarding House of Mystery joining the fellow tenant Splatter Gomorrah in exposing talk show host Iprah as a marketing franchise. However, she was possessed by the demon-angel hybrid Deuteronomy. Howard used the cigar of the Saint of Therapists, Sigmund Freud to banish Deuteronomy, however he decided to take a puff of the cigar which disintegrated him and sent him to Hell. He was saved by God himself who, grateful for him dealing with Deuteronomy, shared with Howard the Meaning of life before returning him to Earth back in Duck Form. Howard the Duck tried to sue the director George Lucas over a movie at Goodman, Lieber, Kurtzberg & Holliway. Civil War As an inter-dimensional being, Howard the Duck was compelled to register under the Superhuman Registration Act along with Beverly. He attempted to do so during the Civil War but learned his socially disrupted life had created so many bureaucratic headaches that the government's policy was that Howard, the so-called infamous "Duckman of New Jersey" did not exist. This lack of government oversight delighted him: "No more parking tickets, no taxes, no jury duty". M.O.D.O.T. After he defeats M.O.D.O.T.'s scheme to control the public through mass media, his attorney, Jennifer Walters, successfully restored his citizenship including all relevant responsibilities. Secret Invasion Howard was briefly seen as part of the hero army gathered to battle invading Skrull Invasion. He is seen armed with a pistol, a Skrull's hand around his neck. 50-State Initiative (A.R.M.O.R.) Later, Howard became a agent for A.R.M.O.R. He was then hired by Morbius the Living Vampire on a private mission to travel into a multiverse of different types of zombies and collect a sample of each zombie. Before he could go, he was to search for Machine Man and recruit him. Howard found Machine Man drunk and depressed for his girlfriend Jocasta went back to her former husband Ultron. Howard was able to convince Machine Man to join him on their mission. Fearsome Four During the Fear Itself event, Howard formed a team called the Fearsome Four with She-Hulk, Frankenstein's Monster and Nighthawk to stop the Man-Thing who found himself driven to an uncontrollable rage, caused by the immense levels of fear generated by the Serpent's hammer-wielders across the world. Facing various alternate universe heroes and the Psycho-Man, brought to Earth by the Man-Thing's connection to the Nexus of All Realities The four were eventually able to confront their own fears and calm the Man-Thing, bringing an end to his rampage and saving the world, before going their separate ways. Cynical Duck & Swizzle Howard and Beverly were brainwashed and forced to work for S.O.O.F.I. as Cynical Duck and Swizzle. They promoted S.O.O.F.I. at a public speech held for them by J. Jonah Jameson. Spider-Man interrupted a S.O.O.F.I. indoctrination at the New York Public Library, and Beverly and the other S.O.O.F.I.'s saw Spidey as a semi-demonic figure and attacked. Spidey escaped with Howard and broke his brainwashing because Beverly was threatened. Howard quickly explained S.O.O.F.I.'s goals to Spider-Man. As Spider-Man publicly announced his long-standing support for S.O.O.F.I., Howard confronted Bev as she stood by the Supreme S.O.O.F.I.. Howard broke through to Beverly, reminding her of their past. The leader ordered the S.O.O.F.I.'s to throw the pair into the special Blanditron at Guantanamo Bay, and Beverly kept them at bay with her whip. Spidey attacked them and unmasked the Supreme S.O.O.F.I., while the others escaped though their teleporter. Howard believed S.O.O.F.I.'s would lay low for awhile after such a defeat, he also hoped their Florida Everglades base might lead them to meet up with the Man-Thing. Ducky Dozen Because of his experience with zombie-infested worlds and his leadership of Machine Man, he was chosen as the leader of, as he dubbed them, the Ducky Dozen. The team was comprised of himself, several golden age heroes, Dum-Dum Dugan, and Battlestar, who is also a veteran of a zombie incident. Upon entering Earth-12591, the Ducky Dozen fought hordes of zombie Nazis and Asgardians, but suffered grave losses as either members were either killed or zombified in battle. After successfully accomplishing their mission Howard, Dugan, Taxi Taylor and Battlestar were the only members left to survive and returned to Earth-616 along with the Riveter, the only survivor of Earth-12591's resistance team the Suffragists. Doop Howard teamed up with friend Doop to battle Robo-Barbarians in Dimension ZZZ. They beat the horde back with nothing but broken sword a rubber chicken with nails in it and a gun that shoots bees. Original Sin After the death of the Watcher and the activation of the secrets buried in his eye, Howard discovered that he had the potential to be the most intelligent being in Duckworld. After evading a squirrel while driving, he was thrown flying and used his intellect to calculated his way to land to safely in a dumpster. A Living Nexus of All Realities Howard returned to his business as a private eye, working in the same building as She-Hulk, in Brooklyn. One of his first new clients was Jonathan Richards, who hired Howard to retrieve a necklace stolen by the Black Cat. With the help of Tara Tam, a new ally, Howard managed to recover the necklace, but his way to give it back to Richards he found himself kidnapped by the Collector, allied with the Guardians of the Galaxy to escape the villain's collection, and confronting the Ringmaster, who had been hypnotizing old people into robbing for him. During his third attempt at recovering the necklace, from the Ringmaster this time, Howard was approached by Richards, who revealed himself to be the Skrull Talos the Untamed, and explained the true nature of the stone in the necklace: it was one of the several Abundant Gems. Once Taloes fled the scene, Howard and Tara sought the help of Doctor Strange to learn more about these Abundant Gems. Joined by the Human Torch, the heroes failed to race Talos for the final gem, and the villain made himself with the Abundant Glove. In the middle of the battle during which Tara publicly revealed his shapeshifting abilities to help fight the energy constructs created by Talos, Howard managed to snatch the Abundant Glove from the villain and defeat him. Howard eventually set out to return to his home dimension, and traveled to Florida to find the Nexus of All Realities to reach this goal. However, his attempt to use the Compassion Gem of the Abundant Glove to help him find his way home merged him with the Nexus. The fusion turned Howard into a Living Nexus which could also be used to teleport to different destinations willingly instead of randomly, as the Nexus normally acted. This new status caught the attention of numerous people who desired to use Howard for his own ends, including a gender-bent clones of Howard and Rocket Raccoon named Linda and Shocket, who wanted to rescue everyone trapped in Collecton and escape to another universe. Howard agree to help Linda and Shocket, and on their way to Collecton, they were pursued by both Skrulls and the Stranger. Howard was seemingly rescued from the Strange's clutches by Scout, a cosmic-powered girl who wanted to give Howard as a gift to Galactus and prove herself worthy of being his new herald. With the help of Silver Surfer and the Guardians of the Galaxy, Howard's allies rescued him. Using a portion of the Power Cosmic granted to him by Silver Surfer, Howard brought his allies to Collecton and helped both defeat the Collector and free its prisoners, who used Howard's powers as the Living Nexus to return to their homes. When Howard was separated from the Nexus and used it to return home, he was accidentally sent to the doorstep of Bev's new house. Following a bittersweet and brief reunion, Howard returned to New York. Battle Against the Sparkitects While investigating a case for actress Lea Thompson, Howard discovered that the nefarious Mojo of Mojoverse had turned him into the unwitting protagonist of his own reality show. However, in order to ensure Howard's life remained interesting for the ratings, he had hired the services of Chipp and Jho, two members of the race of reality warpers known as the Sparkitects, who had subtly influenced Howard's life and been the responsibles for his most recent misadventures. The two Sparkitects became directly involved with Howard's confrontation against Mojo after realizing that the villain could find out that Howard having discovered the reality show was an attempt from them to shut down Mojo's program and cut ties with him. When Howard confronted Chipp, the Sparkitect stabbed and killed him. However, Jho's attempt to redeem his wrongs brought Howard back to life, after manipulating Doctor Strange into returning his soul to his body. The returned Howard managed to defeat Chipp, who was later arrested by his superiors for meddling with reality for personal reasons. As a compensation for Chipp and Jho's damages, the leader of the Sparkitects Ax-L granted Howard one single wish, and Howard requestedhim to ensure that Beverly graduated from veterinary school and managed to establish her own business. | Powers = Duckworldian Physiology: Howard possesses no known superhuman or superduck powers. Howard's body, like those of his entire race, has similar characteristics to those of both common Earth ducks and common Earth human beings. He has hands and arms instead of wings, is covered with feathers and is unable to fly. | Abilities = Martial Arts: Howard is a master in the little known martial art called Quak Fu, which he learned at the hands of Master C'haaj, and hence is a surprisingly formidable opponent in hand-to-hand combat. Mystical Training: The Sorcerer Supreme Doctor Strange has also briefly tutored Howard in the mystic ways, indicating even those of Duckworld possess magical potential. Under his mental guidance, Howard was capable of conjuring the Vapors of Valtorr, the Shield of the Seraphim, use transformation enchantments and even utilize another Eye of Agamotto and Cloak of Levitation along with his own garb for Howard the Duck, which the duck was able to command, despite his lack of Sorcerer Supreme title, though ultimately declining to study as Strange's apprentice. Genius Intellect: It was recently discovered that Howard had the potential to be the most intelligent being in his homeworld. | Strength = * Howard possesses the normal avian strength of a duck of his age, height, and build who engages in exercise only when he feels like it. | Equipment = * Usually seen with a stogie. | Transportation = * | Weapons = * He has a powerful weapon he called the Big Freaking Gun (BFG) possibly given to him by Morbius the Living Vampire or from A.R.M.O.R. The weapon seems to be a cannon which is able to disintegrate anything he fires at. What the weapon is really called is unknown. * Iron Duck Suit: At one point, Howard possessed a special "Iron Duck" suit of powered armor which possessed a flamethrower, a lamp, and springs enabling him to leap as high as one story. * As Duckman, he had the Duckmobile and a utility belt filled with unknown paraphernalia. | Notes = * Howard was originally from Duckworld on Earth-47920 but was retconned to Earth-791021. * Howard the Duck featured in both Marvel swimsuit specials. | Trivia = * As per , Howard possesses the ability to grow whiskers out of his duck bill. * Howard the Duck's phone number is (555)-DUK-DICK. }} Category:Beaks Category:Avian Form Category:Magicians Category:Martial Arts Category:Actors Category:Detectives Category:Catholic Characters Category:Armor Users Category:Media-Driven Characters Category:Politicians Category:Private Investigators Category:Tobacco Smokers Category:Interdimensional Travelers Category:Collector's Museum Category:Characters Displaced to Earth-616 Category:Ducks